Flexible post



s w. RUSHMORE Sept. 7 1926,

FLEXIBLE POST Fil ed June 10, 1924 60 SLOW 1 -'AND AVOID g HILHDRENINVENTOR Jkmzzel if? flaw/(more v 1/ I BY v ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 7,1926.

UNITED STATES SAMUEL w. RUSHMORE, or

PLAINFIELD, new Jamar.

FLEXIBLE ros'r.

Application filed June 10,

My present invention is shown as embodied in a traific sign post of aportable type such as are commonly used in the middle of the streets,near schools, for in stance, or at intersection or along curbs where theconditions and sometimes the relativelysmall size of the post, tend tomake collisions with the post a common occur rence. But it will beevident that certain features of the invention are adaptable to poststhat may not be traflic signs and may not be portable.

One specific object, however, is to provide a trafiic post of durableconstruction which may be knocked down and run over by a motor vehiclewithout substantial injury toeither the post or the vehicle To, thisend, the post is flexible and resilient, being formed of some tough mate'2'0 rial such as reclaimed rubber, preferably strengthened andreinforced 'so that it is pyctically indestructible by collision.

It preferably tapers toward the top, and, for purposes of reinforcement,I prefer to 2 use a helical or other spirally coiled wire springimbedded in the material of the post If desired, a pair of such springscoaxially arranged and oppositely coiled may' be utilized to resistcrushing strains without undesirably affecting the flexibility of the0st.

P In accordance with another feature of the invention, I employ a signat the top of the post which is integral therewith and prefer ably; ofthe same flexible material, so that it is also capable of sustainingconsiderable rough treatment. v Preferably the bottom'portion of thepost fits within a socket in a cast iron or concrete 40 -base. and theangles of socket engagement are such that the post can'fall "free or'bepried out of: the socket, thus avoiding danger of. injuring the car byupsetting the post andturning its relatively heavy base -'on edge inposition to be struck by the crank case or othe vulnerable parts of thecar. r

In the accompanying drawings: Fig.'- 1 is a view partly in section andpartly in elevation of my improved trafiic post. j Fig. 2 is a similarview illustrating. a slight modification. v s The post or upright 10 is.of some tough flexible resilient material, preferably taperkeyed fromstrains which are likely to occur whenthe 1924. Serial in. 719,040. I

of the post is preferably larger and heavier than the upright bodyand'is received in a socket 14 in a relatively heavy base 15.

The base may be of cast iron or may be in the nature of a permenentlyfixed metallic or concrete support. The lower end of the post fits thesocket 1 1, but isnon-positively engaged therein and the socket or thepost end or preferably both, are tapered at a suitable angle, such thatthe 'post may be readily dislodged from the socket and thrown free of,the base when struck by a vehicle. Preferably thesocket and post endare squared so that the sign is practically axial rotation, with respectto the base..

Toreinforce the post against crushing post is very sharply flexed or isrun over, I employ a reinforcing member in the nature of a helical steelspringil6 embedded in the post and extendin throu hout most of thelength thereof pre erably lnto the socket engaging end and into'thesign. The taper of the post and the coil is preferably uniformg Tofurther strengthen the device, a supplemental reinforcing member such asthe steel spiral 17 ,(Fi' ure 2) may be imbedded inthe post, coil Ibeing concentric with, arranged within and coiled oppositely to thespring 16.

This reinforcement, while oflering maximum resistance to crushingstrains, will present little resistance to bending strains, caused by alight impact against the post. By virtue of the above describedconstruction', an ordinary collision may be taken care of by-a bendingof the post, while bending at very sharp angles, as by running over thepost after it has been already widely flexed, will operate to pry thepost completely out of the base, without tippingover the base. -;So faras concerns this feature of 1. traflic post including a flexible upright, a sign plate supported on the upright right, a relatively heavybase having a tapered socket therein, the lower end of said uprightfitting Within the socket and having non-positive engagement therewith,whereby it may be knocked or pried free of the base by collision. i

2. A traflic post including a rigid base and flexible rubber uprighthaving tapered socket engagement with the base and coiled springembedded in the upright and extending into the socket engaging lower endthereof.

3. A traffic post including abase, an upand integral therewith, a coiledspring em bedded in the upright and extending into the sign plate.

4:. A trafllc post including a relatively heavy base having a squaredsocket therein, a flexible upright, a sign carried by the up right, thelower end of said upright being squared to fit the socket whereby thesign is keyed at a definite angle to the base.

Signed at Plainfield in the county of Union and State of New Jersey this29th day of May A. D. 1924.

SAMUEL W. RUSHMORE.

